Digital weighing machine

Abstract

A weighing machine with a digital display and having a lever and coded disc that rotate about a common axis. The disc is constrained to rotate in the direction of the lever after a preset time delay, the lever rotating a distance related to the weight of an object placed on the machine. Indicia on the disc are counted during the time interval between initiation of disc rotation and the striking of a contact on the disc with a contact on the lever, the number of counts defining the weight of the object.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A weighing machine comprising: a. base means;   b. platform means constrained for movement on said base means in response to the weight of an object set thereon;   c. first mechanical means constrained for movement on said base means in response to said movement of said platform means;   d. second mechanical means constrained for movement on said base means in response to said movement of said platform means;   e. said movement of said first mechanical means stopping, after the occurrence of any oscillations, at a rest position and providing a first event that is functionally related to said weight;   f. delay means responsive to said movement of said platform means for producing a second event substantially after the termination of any of said oscillations;   g. said movement of said second mechanical means being initiated by said second event and being related to said movement of said first mechanical means;   h. electronic means for presenting indicia representing said movement of said second mechanical means;   i. said electronic means being controlled by a relationship between said first and second members.   
     
     
       2. The weighing machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said second mechanical means is a disc having alternately opaque and transparent sections about its periphery. 
     
     
       3. The weighing machine as claimed in claim 2 wherein said electronic means is a photo-electric sensor including a light source and a light detector, said light source and said light detector disposed on opposite faces at the periphery of said disc in optical alignment. 
     
     
       4. The weighing machine as claimed in claim 2 wherein said electronic means includes an electric actuator and wherein said disc includes a projecting arm that is engaged by said actuator when said actuator is in its first state. 
     
     
       5. A weighing machine comprising: a. a first member movable in a first direction in response to the descending movement of a weighing platform;   b. a second member biased for movement in said first direction;   c. generating means associated with said second member for generating a series of pulses, the number of said pulses corresponding to the amount of said second member movement;   d. control means having first and second states for engagement and disengagement, respectively, with said second member, said second member fixed against movement when engaged by said control means, said second member moving in said first direction when disengaged by said control means, said control means in its first state in engagement with said second member as said first member moves from an initial starting position to a weighing position in response to the descending movement of the weighing platform, said control means changing to its second state and disengaging said second member at a preset time interval after said first member has moved from said starting position, said disengaged second member moving in said first direction and contacting said first member at said weighing position, said generating means generating a predetermined number of pulses corresponding to the amount of said second member movement until said second member contacts said first member; and   e. processing means operatively connected to said generating means for counting the number of said pulses generated and for displaying an indication of said count which represents a weight placed on the weighing platform;   f. said first member and said second member being rotatable on a common shaft, a contact strip mounted to said second member, an electrical path established between said first member and said processing means through said contact strip when said second member contacts said first member, said generating means generating pulses until said electrical path is established.   
     
     
       6. A weighing machine comprising: a. a base;   b. a weighing platform constrained for movement relative to said base;   c. a first member having a rotation in first direction in response to a descending movement of said weighing platform;   d. a second member biased for rotation in said first direction;   e. generating means associated with said second member for generating a series of pulses, the number of said pulses corresponding to the amount of said second member rotation;   f. control means having first and second states for engagement and disengagement, respectively, with said second member, said second member fixed against rotation when engaged by said control means, said second member rotating in said first direction when disengaged by said control means, said control means in its first state when said first member is rotated in said first direction from a start position to a weighing position in response to a weight placed on said weighing platform, said control means changing to its second state a preset time interval after said first member has rotated from said starting position and disengaging said second member, said second member rotating in said first direction when disengaged by said control means, said second member contacting said first member at said weighing position, said generating means generating a predetermined number of pulses corresponding to said rotation of said second member, said pulses generated only during the time interval between initiation of said rotation of said second member and contact of said first member and said second member; and   g. processing means operatively connected to said generating means for counting said pulses and for presenting an indication of the number of said counted pulse which represents the weight placed on said weighing platform.   
     
     
       7. The weighing machine as claimed in claim 6 including a rotatable shaft operatively connected to said weighing platform and said base, said shaft rotating in said first direction in response to the descending movement of said weighing platform, said first member fixed to said shaft, said second member rotatable about said shaft, said shaft and said first and second members having a common rotational axis. 
     
     
       8. The weighing machine as claimed in claim 7 wherein said second member is a disc having alternately opaque and transparent sections about its periphery and wherein said generating means includes photo-electric sensor means having a light sensor and a light detector disposed in optical alignment on opposite faces of said disc, said light source generating a light beam which is directed towards said light detector, said opaque sections interrupting said light beam directed towards said light detector. 
     
     
       9. The weighing machine as claimed in claim 7 wherein said second member is a disc having a contact strip mounted thereto, said disc composed of an electrically non-conductive material, said contact strip, said shaft and said first member composed of an electrically conductive material, an electrical path established from said contact strip to said shaft through said first member when said second member contacts said first member, said generating means generating said pulses until said electrical path is established. 
     
     
       10. The weighing machine as claimed in claim 9 wherein said control means includes an actuator and wherein said disc includes a projection, said actuator configured to engage and disengage said projection, said disc fixed against rotation when said actuator engages said projection, said disc rotating in said first direction when said projection and said actuator are disengaged. 
     
     
       11. The weighing machine as claimed in claim 6 wherein said first member is a lever arm and wherein said second member is a disc having at least two concentric rows of coded indicia about its periphery and wherein said generating means includes a photoelectric sensor movable into excluse alignment with each said row of coded indicia, one of said rows corresponding to a first weight unit and the other of said rows corresponding to a different weight unit. 
     
     
       12. A weighing machine comprising: a. weighing station means configured to receive an object to be weighed, said weighing station means constrained for movement in response to the weight of the object received by said weighing station means;   b. first member means operatively connected to said weighing station means and constrained for movement along a first path in response to movement of said weighing station means, said first member means moving a first distance related to the weight of the object to be weighed;   c. second member means operatively connected to said weighing station means and constrained for movement along a second path, said second member means moving a distance related to the weight of the object to be weighed;   d. electronic means responsive to movement of said first member means and said second member means, said electronic means generating a first signal when said first member means has traveled said first distance, said second member means moving along said second path after said first member has traveled said first distance along said first path, said first distance constituting a reference distance, said second distance constituting a measurement distance which is related to said reference distance and the weight of the object to be weighed, said electronic means generating a second signal when said second member means has traveled said measurement distance along said second path; and   e. display means for presenting indicia representing said measurement distance movement of said second member along said second path.   
     
     
       13. A weighing machine comprising: a. a base;   b. a weighing platform constrained for movement relative to said base;   c. a first member movable in a first direction in response to a movement of said weighing platform;   d. a second member biased for movement in said first directon;   e. generating means associated with said second member for generating a series of pulses, the number of said pulses corresponding to the amount of said second member movement;   f. control means having first and second states for engagement and disengagement respectively, with said second member, said second member fixed against movement when engaged by said control means, said second member moving in said first direction when disengaged by said control means, said control means in its first state when said first member is moved in said first direction from a start position to a weighing position in response to a weight placed on said weighing platform, said control means changing to its second state a preset time interval after said first member has moved from said starting positon and disengaging said second member, said second member moving in said first direction when disengaged by said control means, said second member contacting said first member at said weighing position, said generating means generating a predetermined number of pulses corresponding to said movement of said second member; and   g. processing means operatively connected to said generating means for counting said pulses during the time interval between initiation of said movement of said second member and contact of said first member and said second member, and for presenting an indication of the number of said counted pulses which represents the weight placed on said weighing platform.